NKASI District Council (NDC) in Rukwa Region owes its staff, councillors, financial institutions as well as contractors and other institutions over 2.29bn/- and declared as unpaid claims.

The unpaid staff benefits include staff various claims amounting to 1.55bn/-, the staffs' sitting allowances 17.79m/-, trade payable 318.83m/-, contract works hitting 178.416m/- , councillors allowances 27.38m/-, PSPF 57.79m/- and ALAT 18.75m/-.

Other unpaid claims on the list are NMB Bank loan amounting to 10.66m/-, NHIF 2.63m/-, Bayport 3.83m/-, TRA (income taxes) 6.77m/-, and groups of women, youth and people living with disabilities (PLWDs) 95m/- Nkasi District Council's acting Treasurer, Elly Manneto, unveiled the list while presenting the report and financial statements for the third quarter of 2021/2022 at a full council.

It was further noted that the NDC has not been paid some 239.67m/- being for unpaid rented, business licences, liquor licence and house rent.

"Even groups of women, youth and people with disabilities have failed to repay some 55.76m/- of special loans to that group," he said.

He further told the councillors that up to March this year, the council collected domestic revenue amounting to 1.78bn/- which is equivalent to 65 per cent of the budgeted fund of 2.74bn/- from various sources. Also, he noted that in the same period the council received grants from central government including other charges (OC) amounting to 30.74m/- salaries 1.44bn/- and 1.38bn/- for execution of various schemes.

In the closing remarks, the acting District Executive Director, Mr William Mwakalambile, challenged councillors to improve own source revenue collecting and encourage the community to participate in economic activities and create a sense of ownership in various health projects in the precincts.

Contributing their views, across section of councillors called upon Nkasi Administration to impose tough measures against defaulters who allegedly embezzle funds they had collected as the council domestic revenues.